Family Ties
by texashoser
Summary: Professor Z is faced with a new challenge as well as some unpleasant news.
1. Chapter 1

This is my first fic for Strange Days so forgive me if the characters don't exactly sound like themselves. I've really gotten into the show lately because it keeps running on Discovery Kids. I haven't seen all the episodes so if I mention something that's contrary to what's actually canon then I apologize.

Here's the first part. I hope you all enjoy.

* * *

He tossed and turned in his bed. The dream was vivid and that fact scared him. It was bad enough he dealt with this stuff on a daily basis at work, but when it followed him and wouldn't leave him alone that was worse. He shot up in bed and stared into his darkened bedroom. The only light came from his alarm clock which read 3:04 AM.

"Wonderful," he murmured running a hand through his usually messy hair. He leaned back against the headboard and wondered for a moment if he could call someone to share his dream. "No. Can't do that." The only people who knew anything concerning his dream were probably getting a good nights rest and didn't need him to bother them at this hour. He jumped though as his own phone rang. He reached out in the darkness to the cordless phone that sat next to his clock. "Hello?"

"You have to keep her safe." A scared voice was on the other end of the line.

"What? Who?"

"Keep her safe, Noel. Please." His eyes went wide at the sound of the name. It had been so long since anyone called him that.

"Monica? Monica, where are you? What's going on?"

"Noel, keep her safe," the woman repeated again just before the line went dead. He listened to the silence for about a minute before dropping the phone on his bed.

"Monica, what have you done?"

* * *

To Be Continued...


	2. A Small Confession

88Keys: Thank you for the review. That short chapter was merely just a short teaser for the rest of the story. And Z just happens to be my favorite character with Lucas a close second.

RayElaineFan: Farah, thanks for reviewing my other jump into another fandom.

Here's the second chapter to my story. I hope people do enjoy it.

* * *

"Is he okay?"

"He's just sitting there, Josie. What do you think?" The red head gave the young man in glasses next to her a look. The two of them were watching Professor Zachary through the partially open door of his office. He sat at his desk with an odd expression on his face.

"Maybe we should see what the problem is," Josie suggested. "He helps us out with ours so often."

"I hope Durst hasn't fired him."

"Don't even say that, Lucas. I think we've snowed her and Pearson over enough to convince them Professor Z needs to stay. Besides he hasn't done anything wrong except for cover for us."

"Yeah, but he's been doing that since he arrived," Lucas replied. "Someone could have gotten tired of hearing the excuses."

"I still think we should talk to him," Josie responded. "Especially after that little incident in class. He really embarrassed himself and I don't think he even realized it."

"Okay, but he starts going schizoid on us I'm outta there," Lucas said. The two students headed into their teacher's office. He didn't even notice as they closed the door and pulled up chairs to sit on the other side of his desk.

"Professor Z?" The older man blinked a few times and looked at Josie. "Are you alright? You were acting kinda weird in class today."

"She called me last night," Professor Zachary said in a low voice. "She told me to keep her safe."

"Who called?" Lucas inquired. "Keep who safe? Does it have to do with something going on around here?"

"I don't know," Professor Zachary stuttered. "I just haven't heard from Monica in almost twenty years. I never knew where my sister went." He took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "She sounded so scared. I'm afraid of what might have happened."

"You never told us you had a sister," Josie said. "In fact you never really told us a lot about your past. We know you used to play guitar and that you're scared of clowns. Where you went to school and how you ended up here. Otherwise you know a heck of a whole lot more about us than we do about you."

"Well, none of you have exactly asked." Josie and Lucas gave him guilty looks. "I suppose I haven't been very open with my private life either. I'm more concerned with you all and making sure you make it to my age."

"So, who is Monica?" Lucas asked.

"She's my older sister," Professor Z answered putting his glasses back on and leaning back in his chair. "She was the reason I picked up the guitar and the other reason I also stopped playing. When she kinda disappeared from my life when I was twelve, but I got letters from her until I was about fourteen and then they stopped completely. I never knew where she was or what she was doing. My parents stopped talking about her and they acted like she never existed. When they died I had no way of contacting her and it felt so weird to be standing there in the cemetery almost by myself with no one to talk to about how I felt."

"I'm sorry, Z," Josie told him quietly. "If we had known…"

"It wouldn't have helped anything," Z interrupted her as he sat up straight. "It's the whole reason I've never told you all before. I'm more worried about you, Josie. And you, Lucas. The same goes for Marshall and Corrine. What happens to me is not important."

"Yes it is," Lucas replied. "You're involved with this as much as we are, Z. Everything we've been through has proved that. You wouldn't be here without Pearadyne. We wouldn't be here without Pearadyne. Even though we know it's practically the root of all evil none of us would have been put together to try and solve the mystery of the wormhole or everything else for that matter. You're a part of this, Z." Josie stared at the young man in surprise who slowly shrunk down in his seat.

"That was, uh, compelling, Lucas," Josie commented. "That's how you acted when you had all that confidence and almost got into the fight with Stew."

"Thank of reminding me of that stupid decision." The red head let out a laugh as Professor Zachary chuckled a bit.

"Thank you, Lucas," Zachary told his student. "I think I needed to hear that."

"What are you going to do?" Josie asked. Zachary looked at her questioningly. "About the phone call? Are you going to figure out what your sister was talking about?"

"I wish I knew where to start," Z said. "I knew she went to England after she first started sending the letters, but other then that I have no idea. I don't have any other family to contact and ask if they know anything. I have nothing to go on, Josie."

"Maybe we could ask Vaughn if his father could help," Josie suggested. Lucas rolled his eyes and the professor let out a polite cough. "Okay. I know we don't completely trust Vaughn anymore, but I think he still likes Z well enough that he might be willing to help."

"And what do you think Victor would say about it?" Lucas shot at her. "He wants to make sure we all go down in flames. We've had to be really careful lately about searching for the answers."

"Lucas and Corrine should know about this," Josie stated. "They might know what Z can do."

"It would help if we had connections," Lucas replied. "But alas being only teenagers we have none. None of our parents are even in any area of law enforcement. We have these brilliant parents in fields like neurosurgery and business that spawned smart kids who have to deal with a wormhole and school that makes abnormal things happen."

"You might want to chill a little, Lucas," Josie said. "You're kinda scaring me here." The young man shrugged and adjusted his glasses.

"Ah, Professor Zachary, I thought I mind find you here." The three in the room looked toward the door to find a man dressed in black with a goatee standing inside. He wore a small smile along with a sly expression.

"Mr. Pearson," the professor started as he stood up. "What can I do for you?"

"I hope I'm not intruding upon anything," Victor said giving a sideways glance at Josie and Lucas. "A conference about problems in class perhaps?"

"Oh, no," Zachary responded. "We were just talking."

"I see," Victor said. "There's someone who is waiting to meet you at my home. I hope you can spare a few minutes to come meet them."

"Why couldn't you bring them here?" Lucas asked. Pearson gave the young man a look as he narrowed his eyes.

"I don't believe that's any of your business."

"Lucas…" The young man noticed the expression his teacher wore and decided it would be a good idea to be quiet. "I'm clear for about an hour, Mr. Pearson."

"Wonderful," Victor replied with a forced smile.


	3. The Blonde

Sorry for the bit of a wait. I actually do have the story done, but recently I came up with a better ending. More mysterious and odd rather than the happy one I had done originally. Not really important at thispoint in the story, but I just thought I'd say that. Enjoy the new chapter...

* * *

"Isn't this breaking some kind of law?" Marshall asked Josie and Lucas as he and Corrine followed them to the Pearson mansion. They all looked at him. "I know we're breaking the usual rules, but I'm talking about the laws where the police get involved." 

"We want to make sure Victor isn't trying to put Z through some kind of torture or anything," Josie replied. "The excuse he brought him over here for was kinda flimsy."

"Josie, you're getting as paranoid as Lucas," Corrine commented. "But it doesn't hurt to check out what's going on."

"Corrine, did I just hear that you're willing to break some rules?" Marshall asked in surprise. The girl glared at the young man. "What? I'm just saying. You're usually the one that's trying to talk us out of stuff like this and now you're all okay with this."

"Professor Z could be in trouble," Corrine said. "We're the only people who can do anything about it if that's true. He's stuck his neck out for us more times than I can count so I figure we owe him this much."

"You just feel bad for not bothering to ask Z about his life," Lucas replied. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I kinda feel that way too."

"Yeah, same here," Marshall added. "We constantly talk about parents and stuff then we hand off our problems on to him. The only time we even bothered with his past and his problems was when he had amnesia thanks to the wormhole. And even then we were kinda looking out for our own necks."

"We'll make this all up to him later, guys," Josie interjected. "Right now we have to find out what's going on in there." They continued toward a window partially hidden by some fir trees. "Now make sure no one's coming or we'll get into major trouble that even Z won't be able to get us out of." She peered into the window and saw a group of people standing on the other side of the house. She could only make out Z because of his messy hair. "No signs of torture yet. They're just talking."

"Let me see," Lucas said moving up next to her. He brushed against her and she gave him a sideways glance. "Sorry."

"It's okay," she replied in a low voice adding a small smile. He returned it before looking through the window as well.

"There's Pearson, Z, some girl with blonde hair and a guy pointing at something on paper. It looks like some kind of legal document."

"How can you tell that from here?" Marshall asked. "You haven't been messing with your glasses again, have you?"

"No. I learned my lesson, Marshall. Plus you barely let me touch any chemicals without making sure they won't let me have super vision again."

"If only you had used your powers for good instead of evil." Lucas hit his friend in the arm. "Ow!"

"Shh…" Corrine hushed them. "We're trying not to attract any attention. We're just seeing if Z needs our help." She peered into the window. "I think Lucas is right about that being a legal document. I've seen a fair share of them because of my parents. I wonder if Victor is reminding Z about some legal ramifications if he keeps doing what he's doing. Like helping us sneak around."

"But that doesn't tell who the blonde is," Josie said. "Oh, Z's getting up and they're all heading this way. Everyone down." The four teenagers sunk down below the window's ledge. "Whoever's hand that is remove it now before I do."

"Sorry," Marshall apologized.

"I'm getting a major cramp here," Lucas muttered. "Do you think it's safe to get up?"

"I don't know," Corrine answered. "But someone has to look."

"Actually, no need." A fifth voice joined the group from above the teenagers. They all looked up from their positions on the ground to see a blonde leaning out the window and giving them all a bemused look. "You Yanks are quite odd."

"You're British," Lucas stated as he moved into a sitting position.

"And you're an American who looks quite cute in his school uniform," she replied in amusement. "What are you all doing here?"

"Uh…" Lucas looked at Marshall.

"We're, uh…" Marshall glanced at Josie.

"It has to do with science," Josie provided.

"Science?" The blonde repeated. "I suppose you're also looking for your science teacher."

"Not necessarily," Corrine responded. "If he's here than what a coincidence. If he's not then we'll go for him in his office."

"I suggest you do go now," the blonde told them. "Mr. Pearson won't be very happy to hear he has four trespassers in his garden."

"You won't tell him that we were here, will you?" Lucas asked. She smiled at him and he could see her blue eyes.

"Perhaps if you'll join for a cup of tea at a time of my choosing I can be persuaded not to spill the beans."

"Um, okay."

"Now I suggest you disappear. They'll be coming in here in a moment."

"Thanks," Marshall told her. She gave him a nod and the group was off.

* * *

To be continued... 


End file.
